This is the amazing story of the oldest Neanderthal DNA ever studied

(Image credit: Twitter/Ancient Origins)

last updated 10 April 2015

The Altamura Man, a Neanderthal who lived roughly 150,000 years ago, was discovered accidentally in 1993 when cavers in Puglia, Italy found his skeleton hidden in a maze of tunnels. They couldn't call archaeologists to excavate the remains, though, because the man's body, other than his skull and part of his shoulder, melded with the cave's calcite concretions. Scientists believe the man fell into a well and starved to death there, eventually being covered in limestone.

Now, scientists are adding a new chapter to the Altamura Man's story. They've extracted samples of his DNA for further research and to confirm his age. "Although other fossil samples of Homo neanderthalensis can be found in Europe and the Near East, none can equal the excellent state of preservation and the completeness of the Altamura Man," the researchers wrote in the Journal of Human Evolution.

The researchers added that the Altamura Man is "the most ancient Neanderthal from which portions of genetic material DNA have been extracted," and they plan to continue studying the DNA. If the DNA sample can be sequenced, it could provide new information about Neanderthal evolution.